Have you ever woken up at 6 a.m. to get ready for school, taken a nice look outside and realized the ground was covered in snow? Well, we rarely get that luxury in Louisiana, but we have all had school unexpectedly shut down for a day or two due to the weather. Despite freezing temperatures and dangerous conditions, ULM was one of many colleges to stay open through the inclement weather a few weeks ago.
Many teachers warned us in our high school classes that college would be on another level: difficult and stressful in a way we could not possibly imagine. Once we got to college, we learned that the lectures were not the only challenge—getting to class turned out to be nearly as difficult as the material itself.
I, and many of my peers, found myself trudging through mud and soaking through my clothes at 8 a.m. on a Tuesday after ULM refused to shut down despite the severe weather warning.
“Walking from my apartment to class was awful,” sophomore social work major Lexi Castle said. “I was scared my laptop was going to be ruined from the rain. I live on campus and couldn’t drive anywhere to get to class quicker. Sitting in class with wet clothes was not very pleasant.”
Schools typically shut down when weather forecasts pose significant danger to students. Colleges run as a business: when they close, they lose money– and no business wants to lose profits over a little rain. However, there comes a point where the safety of students and workers should matter more than a few days’ worth of revenue.
During a similar day, I decided to drive from my apartment to class because I refused to deal with soaked clothes and a possible cold. I received a ticket for where I parked, since very few residential spots are close to class buildings. Why should I be punished for not wanting to deal with the weather? I assure you the officers who ticketed my vehicle were not walking around campus.
This issue applies more to commuters than on-campus students. Some students struggle to drive through rain, and those with poor eyesight or astigmatism may even be in danger on the road.
“Sometimes it stresses me out so much I start crying while driving, which stresses me out more,” sophomore pre-nursing major Kylee-Ann Dixon said. “I just can’t afford to live on campus to avoid the drive.”
The school’s concerns do not align with their education or safety. Working to ensure a safe learning environment will encourage more productivity than forcing people into potentially dangerous situations.
